ELDERFLOWER SYRUP DRINKS RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of 3 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. In a jug, whisk the eggs, yogurt and milk. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk. When you have a light and fluffy mixture, add the flour, the liquid in the jug and the lemon zest. Mix again until smooth. Divide the cake mixture between the tins, level the surfaces and bake for 40 mins.
• Mix the lemon juice and elderflower cordial. When the cakes are cooked, poke all over the surface with a cocktail stick then spoon the lemon and elderflower syrup over the cakes. Leave to cool in the tins. Once cool, you can wrap in cling film and keep for 3 days before icing.
• To make the icing, beat the butter until smooth with an electric hand whisk. Add half the icing sugar, use a spatula to mash the mixture together (this will help to prevent an icing sugar cloud) then whisk again. Add the remaining icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon zest, mash again, then whisk again until smooth.
• Stack the cakes on a cake stand with plenty of icing between each layer. Pile most of the remaining icing on top, then use a palette knife to spread it across the top and down the sides, covering the cake in swirls (don’t worry about it looking too perfect). Add the final bit of icing to the top and use it to cover any patches where the cake is poking through. Decorate with fresh flowers.

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 250°. Place strawberries in an 8x8" baking dish and toss with sugar and St-Germain. Roast, stirring every hour or so, until juicy and tender, 2½–3 hours. Let cool. Do Ahead: Strawberries can be roasted 1 week ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill. Reheat in a small saucepan if desired.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°. Butter and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan or 9x5" loaf pan. Whisk baking powder, salt, and 1½ cups flour in a medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, St-Germain, lemon zest, vanilla, and ¾ cup butter in a large bowl on medium-low speed until smooth and combined (use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), about 2 minutes (the mixture will look broken and that’s okay). Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in dry ingredients, ¼ cup at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed, until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat in cream until incorporated.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake until golden brown and a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, 40–45 minutes if using Bundt pan or 50–60 if using loaf pan. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 20 minutes.
• While the cake cools, cook butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling often, until butter foams, then browns (do not burn) and smells nutty, 6–8 minutes. Add sugar and cook, whisking constantly, until dissolved, about 1 minute. Whisk in lemon juice and salt; cook, swirling occasionally, until mixture is reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add St-Germain and vanilla and cook, swirling often, until glaze is syrupy, about 2 minutes.
• Turn out cake onto a plate (flip cake upright if using a loaf pan). Poke holes all over cake with tester; spoon glaze over warm cake. Cut cake into slices and serve topped with roasted strawberries and their juices.